Dubai, United Arab Emirates (CNN) -- The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced a change in its mask guidelines to recommend that people "continuously wear the most protective and appropriate face covering mask."
The agency describes suitable respirators approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health - such as N95 respirators - as offering the "highest level of protection."
The updated guidance comes after several public health experts recommended the wearing of more effective masks - particularly the N95 model - and that the Centers for Disease Control change its guidance on mask wearing.
More recently, CNN Medical Analyst Dr. Lena Wen said, "Cloth masks are little more than facial adornment. They have no place in the Omicron outbreak."
Win added that in crowded places, "it is recommended to wear KN95 or N95 masks," which cost a few dollars.
Due to the presence of certain materials in them - such as polypropylene fibers - that act as mechanical and electrostatic barriers, these masks better prevent fine particles from reaching the nose or mouth, and they must fit your face to function properly.
Here's what you need to know about masks like the N95 model and how to use them safely
Why do experts recommend wearing an N95 mask now?
N95 masks are more widely available now than they were in Earlier during the pandemic, U.S. public health experts also have a better understanding that the primary driver of coronavirus infection is shared air, Erin Bromage, an assistant professor of biology at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, told CNN last month.
Cloth masks, which were acceptable to use earlier in the pandemic, can filter out large droplets, while more effective masks, such as N95, can filter out both large droplets and smaller aerosols or particles potentially carrying viruses in the air. The presence of infected persons.
The cloth face covering has an internal and external leakage rate of 75%, which was stated at the American Conference of Government Industrial Hygienists as “the percentage of particles that enter the face covering” and “the percentage of exhaled particles that exit the source and through the face covering ", respectively.
On the other hand, N95 masks that properly cover the face and are certified by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health can filter up to 95% of particles in the air.
Although it is not known at this time why so many people are infected with the Omicron variant so quickly, it underscores the importance of wearing high-quality masks, according to Bromage.
What is the difference between N95 and KN95 respirators?
The difference between N95 and KN95 respirators is where they are each approved, according to the Oklahoma State Department of Health.
The United States is testing, documenting and regulating N95 masks recommended by public health experts, while manufacturers in China are testing KN95 masks, but the country's government has no regulatory body to validate them, said Aaron Collins, professor emeritus in the Mercer University College of Engineering and engineer Mechanic has a background in aerosol sciences.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 60% of KN95 respirators, which were evaluated by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health during the pandemic in 2020 and 2021, did not meet the requirements that they were supposed to meet.
If KN95 masks are manufactured according to the standards and approved by the relevant boards in the country of origin, such as the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health here, they all provide basically the same protection,” Bromage explained.
They "may meet the criteria, but they are not certified," he added.
But masks like the KF94, which are standard Korean masks, have been tested and regulated by Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, according to Kelly Carruthers, director of government affairs and sustainability for Project N95, the national clearinghouse that works to provide equitable access to protective equipment. Personality and coronavirus tests.
How can I spot counterfeit N95, KN95, or KF94 respirators?
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health has a list of approved N95 respirators.
These masks should have a cup shape, a flat fold, or a duckbill shape; two straps going around the head; adjustable wire nose bridge; and appropriate markings indicating approval by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The agency also has resources to identify counterfeit N95 masks, which include a complete absence of markings on the mask or an incorrectly written National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health statement.
Can children wear N95, KN95, or KF94 masks?
N95 masks are medical masks designed for healthcare workers, so, of course, there are no N95 masks designed or made for children, because only adults They are the ones who work in healthcare settings.
However, larger children in grade school to middle school and up can wear N95 masks that come in small adult sizes, Lynsey Marr, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Virginia Tech, told CNN this month.
Mar indicated that the N95 masks that are being marketed to children should raise your suspicions of being fake.
There will be KN95 and KF94 masks designed for children, however you must make sure you get them from a trusted source.
Certainly, for children, KN95 or KF94 masks will provide better protection on average than a surgical mask or a cloth mask,” Marr added.
And if you're having trouble securing KN95 or KF94 masks to your child's face no matter how many brands you've tried, you can tie ear loops or use a snap cord adjustment to ensure the mask fits snug enough, Marr suggested.
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Is it safe to reuse N95 masks?
Promag said that in medical settings, healthcare staff often change masks to avoid contaminating the patient's room with equipment that has been placed In a different place with an infectious person.
So, you can reuse your N95 mask.
Even after putting an N95 mask in a closed and crowded place - such as the subway or a grocery store - the N95 material and its filtering ability will not “degrade unless you rub it or poke holes in it,” Marr explained, noting that she wears an N95 mask for a week .
"You have to be in an environment with really polluted air... for several days before the mask loses its ability to filter out particles," Marr explained.
However, there are situations to keep in mind to safely reuse an N95 mask, for example when putting it on, avoid touching the front outside of the mask; Instead, handle it by the edges or the ear straps.
And if you know that you have been near someone infected with the Coronavirus while wearing an N95 mask, you should get rid of this mask so that you do not risk exposure to the virus, according to Promage.
It is possible to be unknowingly exposed to infected people while wearing an N95 mask, so distancing as much as possible can help reduce the risk.
If a mask becomes damp, visibly dirty, bent, hard to breathe through, or damaged - including from cosmetics - you should replace it to avoid a less effective mask.
Is there a way to clean an N95 mask?
And you don't have to wash an N95 mask, because the water will dissipate the mask's static charge, which helps it filter viruses so well, Mar said.
What you can do, she added, is put the mask aside, because the particles will disappear within several hours, and it will happen faster when you expose them to sunlight.
But the fact that warmer temperatures can have a "disinfecting" effect on an N95 mask does not mean you should microwave masks, as that can spoil the mask.
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